Tell us about your symptoms and treatment experience. Take our survey here.

Range Anxiety

Here in the UK, the government has decreed that transport power will move to electricity. Owners of electric cars suffer from a phenomenon called range anxiety. How far can they go without recharging? This is very similar to how I feel on a daily basis. I wake up, I take pain meds to tackle that early morning assault, and gradually I get to my functioning level.

Balancing an energy battery: It's a trade-off

The remains of the day are governed by a very cruel 'battery' that runs down through exertion and pain. It forces me to make some very tough choices: stand a cook for an hour (one of my hobbies) or go out for a walk with my partner, but not both. Take care of some chores; or pop to a farmers market, but not both. Visit with friends or go out for a meal, yep you guessed it - but not both. But unlike an electric vehicle, the actual recharging also causes pain. Sit and watch some Netflix or YouTube for an hour, and then stand up and try and walk - you all know that feeling, right?

The challenge of getting a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis

I’ve only just been diagnosed, literally Friday last week. My first methotrexate dose was last night. My hope is that the battery will get bigger, hold more charge, and allow for more activities in a day. I’m grateful for my diagnosis. 4 years ago, I went to my GP with a painful neck and back. I was diagnosed with a compressed disc (C6/C7) and from that point, nobody would accept that the pain I was experiencing was anything other than that disc.

It's taken 4 years (and a proper stress at my doctor) to get this diagnosis. And while my battery already feels exhausted today (it's 9:30 am), I am hopeful that the future offers a significant upgrade. To all of you with a depleted or flat battery, I feel for you, but the future is still bright. Set your internal SatNav and hold the memories of those days when the battery lasts a little longer.

Do you have a story about living with psoriatic arthritis to share too?

By providing your email address, you are agreeing to our privacy policy.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Psoriatic-Arthritis.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

Join the conversation

Please read our rules before commenting.

Community Poll

How does fatigue affect you? Check all that apply